In a previous blog post I described winning the Miniprint International of Cadaqués 2014, the prize being a solo exhibition in 2015. While in Cadaqués I was also privileged to be a member of the jury for the 2015 miniprints award, which was a team effort by the six winning artists from the previous year. It was not until my return to New Zealand that the winners and finalists were announced, and it's great to see the consistent quality of the final six very diverse prints. While attempting to select just a few works from so many I made some general notes around the reasoning behind my choices (some feature among the finalists and winners, though not all) that may be of interest.

Some Notes from Cadaques...As a judge at Cadaqués Miniprint, what am I looking for? With 683 prints my first list starts with those that reach out to me, that I have a visceral reaction to… that speak, not necessarily loudly at all sometimes very softly, but still with a certain power.

It helps (especially with printmaking) when work is technically excellent. It is not the most important thing, it is secondary to the image, but it still matters very much. That doesn’t mean ‘perfect’ at all but that the technique, materials and execution are compatible, relevant and enhance the work rather than detract from it.

Personally I tend towards work that explores the material forces of its making, whether that be the rich black ink of a mezzotint or the subtle layers and unexpected happenings of ink on ink, rich embosses or smooth fine textures. I am moved by the process made real, (though not at the expense of the idea and the image).‘Combatent’, an etching, drypoint, collage by Christina Perez i Alay, of Spain, is a powerful, richly and textured print with intense raised areas of black ink, and deeplypunctured ‘wounds’; a striking and complex work. (As with many of the works, the photos don't do these dimensional qualities justice).

Some digital works can be at a disadvantage against the raw ink and physicality of other techniques, especially if they are simply a reproduction of some other work. However original digital prints that show the hand and ideas of the artist, that push the boundaries of computer assisted images, are definitely strong contenders. There are several on my list, including ‘En el Transporto’, by Rafael Rivera Rosa, a painter and printmaker from Puerto Rico. The seemingly everyday occurrence of people on a train has been given a menacing and foreboding presence, that speaks of deprivation and state control. Korean born and US based Jimin Lee’s work also impresses, in a similar vein, with people boarding an aircraft, both these prints leave a disturbing and memorable emotional resonance. I feel a little bereft in not having any artist’s statements, I have no definitive context for the work, but it does leave me free to imagine and make my own interpretations of what the artist has conveyed through the print process.

Scale is important. Small prints are like a precious gem, and often it is the quality of the detail, the strength of the composition that provides the gravitas that seems more easily attainable with larger works.

Each artist submits four works and it’s an advantage for them to be consistent, rather than diverse. Only one work is shown on the wall (the rest are in folders) but all four are a representation of a body of work, an idea of what a larger exhibition might look like. My observations considered that intrinsic quality of voice that defies description, along with the usual underpinnings of strong composition, materiality, concept, but of course printmakers send work for many different reasons, and keeping the judges happy is probably not one of them! These are just a few of the notes I made during the exhibition to help clarify my own thoughts. There were so many wonderful prints to see and I was glad I wasn’t the only judge or the responsibility would have been daunting.

Congratulations to all the participants, finalists and to the winners on your achievement. I wish you all the best in the coming year in making your body of work for your solo exhibition, and assure you that your time in Cadaqués will be a great experience to look forward too. Plan on staying as long as you can…some artists never leave! At my opening I met Arvon Wellen of Arago Press, a previous winner who lives there permanently now, and many others who were regular visitors to this beautiful place.My next blog post (I was so busy being away, that I've had to wait until now to blog about it, lol) will be about my opening night and the following week at Cadaqués (orthe residency at Penedes, or Barcelona, depending on how organised I am about chronological order!). My time at Cadaqués was really a wonderful experience, most of all because of the time I spent with Mercé, Mercé, Aliex and their family, from Taller Galeria Fort. Going out in their wooden boat, meals with friends and neighbours, singing and music, it was a privilege to be so included in their family life. I also gained an insight into Catalan culture and politics, and the passion for an independent Catalonia, that informed much of the work I subsequently made at the residency at Mas Els Igols, and my explorations in Barcelona.

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